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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 116 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  2. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  4. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  5. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  6. I'll be taking the ________________.
  7. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  8. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  9. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  12. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  13. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  14. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  15. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  16. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  17. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  18. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  21. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  22. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. bear — the animal
  3. tube — in a tire
  4. current — electric
  5. field — a subject
  6. tube — the underground
  7. racket — a loud noise
  8. current — of water
  9. cap — of ice
  10. current — happening now
  11. staff — a stick
  12. staff — employees
  13. tube — a container
  14. field — farmland
  15. field — for sport
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. staff — employees
  18. cap — a lid
  19. fine — all right
  20. cap — a hat
  21. fine — a penalty
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. fine — high quality
  24. bear — to put up with

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com